Cedar Point

Last week, June 30 through July 7, I went on a road trip with two of my friends to visit Michigan. We left at 12:40am on the 30th and I managed to stay up for 24 hours the day before, so needless to say I was quite tired on the drive up. However, this trips was thoroughly enjoyable, and I feel a sense of camaraderie with my friends that didn't exist before.

We watched the sun rise over the eastern horizon at a rest stop somewhere in Kentucky. Some dude was asleep on top of his jeep in a sleeping bag. We thought he was a dead body. We nicknamed him Bonnaroo.

On Monday, we drove to Grand Rapids to visit more friends and went out to a really rad local bar. I tried a few local Michigan micro-brews (Founder's Red Rye IPA) which were quite delicious. This bar was probably the most hipster place I had ever stepped into my entire life.

Tuesday we drove to Ann Arbor. We walked around downtown while waiting for even more friends to arrive. While walking down the streen, we visited the Vault of Midnight. Upon stepping inside, I was amazed at the amount of nerd/geek paraphernalia in the store. Finn the Human action figures, Minecraft axes. It was the embodiment of nerd culture. But wait! I went downstairs and THOUSANDS OF COMICS lined the walls and shelves. I was completely blown away. I could have dropped hundreds of dollars on board games, comics, action figures and graphic novels. Fortunately for my wallet, the only thing I left the store with was Zombie Dice. This game is incredibly fun, and I can't wait to play with Andrew and Nate and others at PAX East! It will be great for waiting in line.

The main reason I went on this trip, aside from getting away from Alabama for a week, was the chance to visit Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. We braved the lines on Thursday and Friday. Luckily, we missed the major July 4 crowds. The longest we waited in line for a ride was 1:45 mins for the Maverick, which was meh.

By far the biggest attractions at Cedar Point are the Millenium Force and the Top Thrill Dragster. Being the adrenaline junkie that I am, I forced myself and my friend Dustin (pictured soon) to sit in the front seat of both rides. The Millenium Force is probably my favorite of the two rides, simply because it is longer, and the climb up the hill gets your adrenaline pumping and builds excitement. The coaster lifts you 310 feet into the air and drops you 80 degrees, 300 feet down, at 93 mph. After we cleared the hill, for the briefest fraction of a second I actually felt a sense of danger. Regardless of that false sense of danger, I kept my hands raised the entire ride. My only regret is that I didn't get to ride the Millenium Force a second time.

Top Thrill Dragster, however, was the best experience at the park. You board your train, and wait until the lights reach green. You're launched 120 mph into a 90 degree vertical rise up 420 into the air and drop 400 feet 90 degrees down. I've already rambled long enough, so I'm going to let these pictures describe my feelings for this ride.

I'm on the left. My friend's face is the epitome of pure terror. If only everyone could hear the horrid screams I have stuck in my head. My eyes are completely open in this picture, the force of the wind was shutting my eyelids.

So, that was my trip to Michigan and Ohio. I'm not stuck in a post-awesome-trip-with-great-friends funk.

The only coaster I haven't been on at Cedar Point is Maverick, and it's kinda disappointing to hear that it was meh. Oh well, I'll still ride it...eventually.

Right on about Dragster, though. It's simply an incredible experience. What I've seen happen sometimes too - or at least years ago, perhaps they've tweaked things since then - is that the train can barely miss clearing the hill, and plummets back down that 420 feet backwards. I haven't been lucky enough to actually be on the ride when that happens, though; I bet that's one heck of a thing to go through.

The only coaster I haven't been on at Cedar Point is Maverick, and it's kinda disappointing to hear that it was meh. Oh well, I'll still ride it...eventually.

Right on about Dragster, though. It's simply an incredible experience. What I've seen happen sometimes too - or at least years ago, perhaps they've tweaked things since then - is that the train can barely miss clearing the hill, and plummets back down that 420 feet backwards. I haven't been lucky enough to actually be on the ride when that happens, though; I bet that's one heck of a thing to go through.

Glad you had a good time, man.

Maverick was still fun, but oddly enough it had the longest wait. I enjoyed it for what it is, but many of the banks and rolls are simply too jarring. There's hard shoulder straps that were digging into my neck and shoulders which prevented me from lifting my arms for the duration. We also rode it after the Millenium, so that may have impacted my affection of the ride a little.

My friend's (the one pictured) sister said she'd gotten a Roll Back before! Apparently, they are pretty uncommon and coaster enthusiasts dream of getting a Roll Back. I asked a few of the attendants for one, mostly just to freak out my friend, lol. They still had signs up that say the train doesn't -always- clear the hill, though.

I'm STILL mad I didn't get to ride the Dragster when I was there a few years ago. We were ON THE RIDE, but it was suffering one of its typical breakdowns. And the park was closing. So I was forced to leave after waiting nearly an hour by my parents.

I'm STILL mad I didn't get to ride the Dragster when I was there a few years ago. We were ON THE RIDE, but it was suffering one of its typical breakdowns. And the park was closing. So I was forced to leave after waiting nearly an hour by my parents.

But everything else I remember simply being an absolute blast.

(Except that really big wooden coaster... That thing hurt...)

That's a huge bummer, man. The first day, we had waited in line about 30 minutes before it shut down again. It was down for repairs as the park opened, too. Luckily, we went to it first thing on the second day and only had to wait ~45 minutes.

I had ridden the Mean Streak the last time I visted (over a decade ago) but none of my friends wanted to ride it. I, personally, love wooden roller coasters...mostly for the weightlessness.